In order to provide easier or faster information transfer and convenience, telecommunication industry service providers are continually developing improvements to existing communication networks. As a result, wireless communication has developed increased reliability and quality and has become increasingly popular in recent years. Along with the expansion and improvement of wireless communication networks, mobile electronic devices used for wireless communication have also been continually improving. In this regard, due at least in part to reductions in size and cost, along with improvements in battery life and computing capacity, mobile electronic devices have become more capable, easier to use, and cheaper to obtain. Due to the now ubiquitous nature of mobile electronic devices, people of all ages and education levels are utilizing mobile terminals to communicate with other individuals or contacts, receive services and/or share information, media and other content.
With the proliferation of mobile terminals, it is inevitable that some of the mobile terminals will be exposed to difficult operating environments. In this regard, exposure to heat, cold, humidity, and various other environmental factors may cause component failure in some cases. Furthermore, dropping and other causes of physical shock may damage components in some instances. Additionally, some components may fail due to normal circumstances such as reaching a rated end of life or other potentially abnormal circumstances. Manufacturers may, in some cases, provide warrantees or guarantees regarding component lifespan in an effort to market their products and induce confidence in their brands. In any case, users that experience failures of one type or another can be expected to either buy a new device or seek repair services for the affected device. In cases where some form of warrantee or guarantee is involved, the users will often choose device repair over buying a new device. Coverage provided for a particular component may only be applicable to cover component failure in the event of exposure to specific ranges of environmental conditions. Thus, if a component is exposed to out of range conditions, the coverage may not apply. However, when the user brings a device in for repair, it may be difficult or impossible to determine the environmental conditions to which the device has been exposed.
Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide a mechanism by which at least some environmental conditions may be determinable for certain mobile terminal components.